Together At Last
by futuristicranger101
Summary: Jack comes back and finds Z miserable. He decides to stay and help her and her daughter out for awhile, but it ends up he just never wants to leave. Bad summary better story.


Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers.

WARNING: Character death.

Together At Last

Chapter One: It Just Hurts

Jack sighed as he walked through the colorful doors. He wasn't ready to do this. Course he never would be ready for this, no one ever was. No one was ever ready to say goodbye to one of their friends. That was only one of the things he wasn't ready for. The other thing was seeing his friends after about three years. The last time he had seen Sky, Syd, Z, and Bridge was at Bridge's and Sophie's wedding. At the wedding (which was great) Z looked really happy so that made Jack very happy too, but that was the last time he would ever get to see Bridge again. About a week ago Bridge went off on a mission with a few trainees. Something on the mission went really badly and he had risked his life to save them.

Jack walked into the wake in a black suit. He felt a little awkward in any color other than red, but he made it work by hiding a red t-shirt under his suit. Quickly Jack walked up to where Z, Z's daughter Adriana (Z had found her on a mission and decided to adopt her. She was only two), Bridge's parents, Sky, and Syd were standing, ignoring the complaints from all the people waiting in line.

"Jack!" Z exclaimed sadly and reached out to hug him. Jack eagerly hugged her back. It had been a long time since they hugged and Jack had forgotten how good it felt to hug her. After a very long hug he turned to face Bridge's parents.

"Long time no see." Mr. Carson said shaking Jack's hand

"Nice to see you to Mr. Carson and you Mrs. Carson. I just wish we could meet up under different circumstances." Jack said while hugging Mrs. Carson. Next he turned to Sky and Syd. Syd jumped on him with a huge hug and after a few seconds Sky joined in. Normally Sky didn't hug, but this was a special time.

After hugging everyone in line Jack walked up to the casket and kneeled down in front of it looking at Bridge. It felt so weird seeing him so still. Especially his mouth because he wasn't rambling on about something and confusing everyone as he did so. While kneeling down Jack thought about all the good times and linked them with how Bridge was gone, forever. Suddenly Jack couldn't handle it the tears just started to fall. He had been holding them in for a week now. Jack closed his eyes and just let the tears poor. After about five minutes of kneeling there Z walked up behind him and placed her hand on his back.

"Hey Jack other people want to see him too and they're getting annoyed with you." She said kneeling next to him

"Oh sorry, I didn't realize how long I was here." Jack said wiping away his tears

"Jack it's going to be ok."

"Easy for you to say. You lived by him! You saw him the day before he left on that mission! I haven't seen him in three years and now he's gone!" Jack snapped and Z sighed as she back away. "Wait no I didn't mean to be mean. It's just…"

"Jack I know. We're all hurting. Now come stand in line with us." Z said helping him up. Jack nodded and followed her back and stood next to Adriana.

Later that night the only people that remained were Jack, Z, Sky, Syd, and a sleeping Adriana.

"So where are you staying?" Sky asked

"Um… I really don't know. I didn't find out about the wake until yesterday and it took a day to get here so I really hadn't thought of that part yet."

"We would let you stay with us, but our apartment is really small." Syd said

"You can stay with me." Z said "Adriana and I need a strong man in the house to protect us anyways and we have and guest room."

"Ok thanks." Jack said hugging Z.

"Ok we're going to split. We'll see you later." Sky said taking Syd's hand (they were married a year before Bridge and Sophie were) and heading out for their car. Z crept over to Adriana, who was lying on two chairs, and lightly shook her awake.

"Mom?" she asked sleepily

"Yeah, come on we're going home now." Z said softly

"Oh, is Uncle Bridge's thing over?"

"Yeah, come on." Z said slowly helping her start standing up. Jack quickly stepped in and picker Adriana up and carried her out to the car. From there he laid her in the back seat and buckled her in.

"You have a really good way with kids." Z said walking up behind him

"Yeah, I guess. So anyways I don't know how to say this, but…"

"Let me guess you need a place to stay and a ride to that place?"

"You know me so well." Jack joked and Z smiled a little, but Jack could still see the pain in her eyes. Z had been really close to Bridge and Jack could see that even though she put on a brave face she was hurting really badly on the inside.

On the way to Z's house nothing was said. Jack stared out the window and Z was biting her lip trying not to let the tears fall down her cheeks. Z pulled up into the driveway of a small yet cozy three bedroom house. Jack jumped out as soon as she stopped and went around to the back and picked up Adriana and grabbed his duffel bag of clothes that he had thrown in the car before he even went into the wake.

"Where did that come from?" Z asked

"I figured I would end up staying with you so I threw it in before I walked in." Jack explained

"You really haven't changed at all Jack."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Jack asked and Z shrugged and unlocked the door. Jack carried Adriana all the way up to her room and tucked her in. Z smiled as she watched him. He would make a good father some day she thought to herself. Z walked down the hall and showed Jack his room before going to her room to get out of the dress she was wearing.

Jack quickly changed into his red shirt and white boxers. Jack yawned and glanced at the clock. It was one am. Tired he walked down the hall to Z's room to say goodnight. When he was about a foot away from the door he could hear a muffled cry. Stepping closer he put his ear to the door and he was sure that he could hear Z crying. He knocked, but only got a muffled reply. The door squeaked as he opened the door. Jack glanced around trying to find Z. She was on the floor at the end of her bed in her pajamas with her face on a pillow.

"Z." Jack said kneeling down besides her and rubbing her back. "Z." he said again and she looked up.

"It's not fair Jack." She said softly as he sat down next to her and pulled her into his lap.

"I know Z."

"It's not fair that's he gone. I miss him so much already. I keep thinking that he'll walk through the door at work one day and I'll figure out it was just a dream, but I know that's never going to happen." Z said crying again, but this time into Jack's chest and not a pillow.

"Z, it's ok. We all know how you feel."

"It just hurts so much. Sometimes I just want to cry, but I can't do it in front of Adriana. It's already hard enough on her. At work everything reminds me of him and it feels like if I cry everyone is going to think that I'm weak."

"Z no one is going to think you're weak. You're best friend died only a week ago they all would understand." Jack said rubbing her back and rubbing his hand through her hair until she calmed down a bit. When she was ready Jack lifted her up and brought her over to the bed where he just laid there with her until she fell asleep.

(A/N: If you like the start of this story please review and tell me or I will think that you are uninterested and will discontinue it. Thanks!)


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